Earl of Shannon

Earl of Shannon is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1756 for the prominent Irish politician Henry Boyle, who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and as Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer. He was made Viscount Boyle, of Bandon, and Baron Castle Martyr at the same time, also in the Peerage of Ireland. Lord Shannon was the second son of the Henry Boyle, second son of Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, third surviving son of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. He was succeeded by his son, the second Earl. He served as Master-General of the Ordnance for Ireland and as Vice-Treasurer for Ireland. In 1786 he was created Baron Carleton, of Carleton in the County of York, in the Peerage of Great Britain. This title gave him and the later Earls an automatic seat in the British House of Lords.

The third Earl, son of the second, notably served as Lord Lieutenant of County Cork. On his death the titles passed to his son, the fourth Earl, who briefly represented County Cork in the House of Commons. As of 2010 the titles are held by the fourth Earl's great-great-grandson, the ninth Earl, who succeeded his father in 1963 (who in his turn had succeeded his elder brother in 1917). As a descendant of both the first Earl of Orrery and the first Earl of Cork he is also in remainder to these titles.

The Honourable Sir Algernon Boyle, sixth son of the fifth Earl, was an Admiral in the Royal Navy.

The earldom is named after Shannon Park in County Cork and not after the River Shannon.